Zootopia: Shards of the Wanderers
by C.B James
Summary: Wanderers from other worlds begin appearing in Zootopia, finding themselves in a new home as supernatural forces threaten to destroy it. Cody, a human from a version of our Earth, is one of them. He lived a normal, suburban life- but will he be able to combine forces with the other Wanderers and save his new home? If he fails, the fate of the entire multiverse is on the line.
1. Mud and Fear

My name is Cody Voller. I was born in Minnesota, and I have lived there my whole life. But now I find myself battered and bleeding, laying in the mud of an unfamiliar forest and in an unrecognized place. The air is humid, and water falls from high above, in the trees. Strangely, I can see orange lights suspended up above, almost like city lights. My head is a fog, and I can't think clearly, and I can barely remember what just happened. I remember a loud noise, and flying from a window. Then nothing.

I try to move my leg to stand, and yelp as I feel an unbelievable pain. It's like a hammer was taken to my leg, and I look down to see my right leg, my shin snapped almost in half. There's a large scrape, and I'm bleeding a lot. A moan escapes from my throat, almost animal like. I lay back into the mud.

My arms are bashed up too, but I can move them just enough to prop myself up.

I carefully grab the side of a tree, and gingerly stand up on my uninjured leg. My right one shifts, and I almost scream from the pain, but I don't collapse. Balancing on my left leg and using the tree for support, I look around for a source of light. Fear is burning in my chest, but I feel like I need to find where I am.

About a hundred feet to my left I can see the orange glow of streetlights, and a flash as I hear a car driving in the distance. Hobbling on my left leg, I limp over about five feet before I almost scream from the pain. My leg shifts every time I move, and tears are beginning to flow. I limp back, lean against the tree, and take out my phone, trying to turn it on. No luck. Its in worse shape than me. Looking again towards the light, I begin limping towards the source.

"H-hello?" I manage to shout, as I limp and limp towards the source of the light, each movement getting more and more excruciating. "Is anyone there? Please, help me!"

My vision is getting dull, and the pain is unbearable. I collapse facefirst against what feels like asphalt as I enter the light.

I hear a shout, and dully look over to see a large, dark silhouette running towards me.

"Hey- what happ- stay with me!" says a voice, male. I feel what feels like large, hand like paws flipping me over, and briefly look into the green eye of a black jaguar.

My vision fades and I pass out from the pain.


	2. The Hospital

My head aches and my leg is screaming as I open my eyes. My vision is blurry at first, but when I blink it gradually clears.

An IV drip bag is suspended above me, and I can make out the smell of a doctor's office. My arms and head are bandaged, and my leg is bound by a thick cast. Looking around, I can tell that I'm definitely in a hospital, but how I got here I can't remember. The last thing I can think of is a rainforest, and collapsing on the side of a road.

I look towards the window, and the sight outside confuses me. I'm suddenly in a big city, somehow. I can see buildings in the distance, and snow is falling outside. It's completely foreign to me, yet somehow familiar…

I shift my gaze over to the whiteboard and see my name written in dry-erase marker. They must have found my driver's permit in my wallet. That's how they've got my name.

Laying my head back into the pillow, I look blankly up towards the ceiling, wondering where the hell I am. It's weird, the city outside seems so familiar, yet I know that I have not been here before. It's not Minneapolis, and I know it isn't Saint Paul… So where am I?

Suddenly I realize that I can feel something strange with my hospital gown. Where a normal hospital gown doesn't have any sort of opening in the back, I can feel a hole on my lower back, where the bed sheets are brushing against my skin.

Weird…

I hear footsteps coming into the room and I look towards the source of the noise. Expecting to see a human, I'm taken aback when a slim cheetah walks in on two legs, wearing scrubs just like what you'd expect from a nurse. I feel bad for looking so startled, but I can't help it.

She takes note of my awakening almost immediately. "Oh-! You're awake. Can you hear me? My name is Ilya and I'm a nurse. What's your name? How are you feeling? Do you know what happened?"

I swallow my surprise, knowing that it's rude. I'm not too disoriented (Which is strange, I should be delirious, but I'm not), so I try to answer her questions the best I can, despite feeling my cheeks heat up out of shyness (I'm really shy towards new people).

"My name is Cody," I manage to croak out- my throat is dry "I hurt all over and my leg is screaming, I think I was in a car crash, but when I woke up in the rainforest everything was unfamiliar. Can I ask where we are?"

She nods- she is as surprised as I am that I'm not answering with confusion. "This is the Hospital of Zootopia, in Tundra Town. You were found in the rainforest district about a day ago with a broken leg and a lot of bruising and scrapes, but you should be fine as long as you don't walk on that leg and you be careful."

She checks my vitals and helps me adjust the bed to allow me to sit up. As she leaves she tells me, "Oh, I'm supposed to tell you that you will have a visitor in about thirty minutes. He's just going to ask a few questions, but if you don't feel up to it, just say something."

I say ok, and then she leaves.

I feel terrible, and I really don't want to have to answer any personal questions, but if I say no it would be giving up a valuable opportunity to learn more about my situation. That nurse didn't seem too put off by my appearance as a human, but Zootopia's not supposed to have humans. I bet something strange is going on- something to make humans such as myself not seem as an oddity as they should… Whoever this visitor is, I should learn as much as I can… and that means being able to be social.

I sigh nervously, trying to avert my feeling of fear at the prospect of meeting another person from this unfamiliar world- being introvert is not an option right now. Not when I- when I know I probably won't see my friends or family again.

I try to avoid letting out tears as I stare up at the ceiling again, but it doesn't do any good. If I'm here, it means that I probably have no means to get back home, and it's more than likely that my friends and family believe me to be dead. And I know it, too. Tears flow down my cheeks as I try not to think about what that means, but fail miserably. This keeps going for about fifteen minutes until I finally get ahold of myself.

I grab the remote and turn on the hospital room's TV, flicking through the channels just to see what they have on for about ten minutes. I stop for a second on ZNN, but it's just a weather report about any natural weather events that are likely approaching. It's not extremely different from back home, so I can't help thinking about some of the people I left behind. Including one of the local meteorologists back home, who married a relative of mine a while back. Great people, and even though we were never extremely close, they're still likely affected by my loss.

I wonder if the crash was reported in the news back home- It was just me in the car at the time, so I know that no one from my family got hurt, but still, there's usually at least a blip in the news about something like what happened to me… The school won't likely say anything, aside from notifying the teachers. The usual. No official statement to the students, just an email to the parents accompanied by a general apathetic silence.

I'm thinking about my life again, and it's going to make me cry, so I just start to ignore it and look out the window. Snow's drifting across the window, across the winter wonderland that is Tundra Town. It's funny, back home people are denying the existence of global warming, whilst Minnesota gradually gets browner and browner every year during the winter (Christmas used to be pretty. Now it looks gross). Here, though, in a city that I can only guess is located in a semi-tropical location? I've never seen this much snow in my life. And, again I lived in Minnesota.

As I ramble on inside my head, I hear a knock on the door which abruptly stops my teenage mind's rambling. Looking towards the door, I feel my heart drop into my stomach and a huge wave of overwhelming shyness warm my cheeks.

Standing in the doorway is Chief Bogo.


	3. An Offer From the Chief

*Author's Note: This takes place in september, 6 months after the release date of the movie, as well as my assumed timeframe of the movie's events.

"Can I come in?" He says. The look on his face tells me that he'd prefer to get this over with, so I nod nervously. He's carrying a black folder in his hand. I unconsciously lock my fingers together and begin fidgeting, an overwhelming sense of nervousness clenching in my stomach.

"The nurse told me that you came to just thirty minutes ago. How are you feeling?" the police chief asks, probably just out of politeness.

"Okay… I guess…" I mumble. In a normal circumstance, I would probably have pulled a witty joke like "I feel like I was just run over by a semi, which isn't too far from the truth."

But I don't, because Bogo is one of my favorite characters and I'm shy as all hell when it comes to people or characters I like, but have never personally met. Bogo's personality doesn't make anything easier, and neither does his intimidating presence.

As he walks in, he looks at my face. Not angrily, just with the same serious expression as when he came in. I shift in the bed, looking out the window briefly. My fidgeting intensifies. He sits in the chair closest to me, probably also out of politeness again.

"Calm down, I'm not going to interrogate you." He says, with slight exasperation. His face relaxes into a slightly less irritable look. "My name is Chief Bogo, I'm the chief of the ZPD. I just need to ask you a few questions before the city will allow me to help you."

This surprises me, and I look towards him again for a moment.

"H-help me?" I ask incredulously.

He nods. "You aren't the only person who's just shown up around here lately."

I didn't expect that.

"You mean… there are more people like me?" I ask, a bit of the nervousness emptying from me. He nods.

"Quite a few. Most of them are the same species as you. Do you call yourself a human?" the police chief asks politely.

"Yeah…" that explains why he and the nurse aren't freaking out because of my appearance.

"Now…" he opens the black folder. "Could you please tell me what happened before you arrived here in Zootopia?"

His voice is gentle, but firm. He wants to know about what happened to me, but he acknowledges how difficult it may be. I sigh and nod, trying to push away my emotions and tell my story without breaking into tears.

"Last night, back home… or I suppose two nights ago now, I was driving, my dad wanted me to get some practice on my own. I just got my license, but I hadn't received the card yet and so I carried both the documents and my old permit. I was on one of the highways, which in Minnesota aren't all that busy most of the time. I… was a bit frightened, but I knew the way home, so I kept a level head. However, when I reached the road that turned into my neighborhood, I was hit by… another car, I think. I don't think they stopped. . It was raining. I remember flying, and then a sharp crack, and then nothing. That's when I woke up in the Rainforest," I take a breath. "When I came to, my leg was broken and I was pretty beat up. I tried to call 911, but my phone was damaged in the crash, and so I tried to walk to the nearest source of light. The pain was too much. When I got there, well… you know."

I take a deep breath, trying not to think about everyone back home, but it's too much. I shift in the bed, ignore my leg's protests, and cover my face with my hands. I'm a mess.

Clutching my head, I lay back on the bed and stare at the ceiling. I hate myself for not being able to keep it together.

"... Sorry," I croak. I'm embarrassed, ashamed at being so emotional. I'm probably annoying him, or making him angry, or maybe uncomfortable. "Sorry…"

He's looking at me with a touch of pity that's out of character and it's making this all worse. "Sorry…" I say again. It's too much. I hide my face, and I'm shaking.

"You don't have to apologize," he says. To my surprise, he lays a hoof-hand on the bed. "You've been through a lot. I'm not going to judge you for hurting."

He stays for a few minutes, until the nurse comes back. I hear him say something to her, and then he turns to me to say, "I have to leave, but I'll be coming back tomorrow morning. We'll finish talking then… don't worry about the medical bill. We'll figure something out."

He turns, walking towards the door.

"Thanks…" I say quietly. He pauses for a second before leaving.

I don't pay attention to what the nurse does aside from giving me food, but I thank her as she leaves. Looking out towards the window, I find myself surprised to see that it's night. The police chief must have been with me longer than I thought. I feel bad for breaking up in front of him- I probably got in the way of his job, and I wouldn't be surprised if he thought less of me for being such an emotional wreck. He's supposed to be doing his job as the police chief of Zootopia, not worrying about some teen with a sappy backstory. I hate myself for causing such a problem. I should probably apologize tomorrow when he gets here…

I spend some of the night looking out at the city lights, until a new nurse comes in and asks if she should put out the lights. She pulls the curtains, blocking the sight of the city at night, and I try to get some sleep.

"...please be careful, your first trial is rapidly approaching."

I wake up with those words in my head, the speaker bearing the voice of a young woman.

Was I… dreaming?

I yawn, and look towards the window. It still has the blinders over it, but I can see light seeping in from outside. The immediate thing I notice is that my leg is hurting, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. Weird, normally you'd expect it to be about the same. I remember what happened yesterday, and I feel the pang of grief in my chest, as well as the self-directed frustration for being so… weak, I guess. But I can also feel the warmth of getting my emotions out, so that's good.

I'm partly afraid, and partly glad that the police chief is coming back this morning. Remembering yesterday, I suppose that his kindness was probably because of the fact that I'm not one of his subordinates, which makes sense. But I'm still trying to figure out what he meant by "help".

My only guess is that with the appearances of new people within the city, the government must have developed a program to help keep them from causing problems. But why be so calm about it? Not that I'm complaining or anything, but… there must be some sort of fear, right? People are always fearful of the unfamiliar. Strange…

I'm interrupted in my thoughts by the nurse (Illya, again.) knocking on my door. "Mr. Voller? The police chief is here to see you. Are you feeling well enough to answer his questions?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Alright, I'll send him in," she says. Soon Chief Bogo is seated in the same chair as yesterday.

"Are you ready to continue?" he asks.

I nod. "Yes, sir."

He looks down at his folder, marking a few things down before asking "How old are you, Cody?"

"18. My birthday was in July," I tell him.

"Do you have any previous knowledge of this world, whether it be from a form of media or otherwise?" He asks.

I shift in bed. "Yes, a little bit. I know about the majority of the events that took place in the solving of the Nighthowler scandal. One of your officers, Judy Hopps, utilized a recording device hidden in a carrot pen to record the former mayor's monologue about her evil plans."

"Okay, then…" He says, recording it in his folder. "And what type of world is the one you came from?"

"It's sort of similar to this one… it has technology, and a lot of the same concepts such as electricity and cars, obviously. However, the human race was the only species that evolved in the way that this world did. Most of our society is similar to this one, but there are a few… differences." I sum up. "Ultimately, though, it's the same as here, but with just one species."

"I understand. So it would be safe to assume that you haven't exhibited any special or supernatural abilities, aside from appearing in Zootopia?" the police Chief.

"Yeah, that is a correct assumption… But since you're asking that, I take it that there are people who've shown up with those kinds of abilities?"

"Yes," the police chief explains, "but not all of them, at least not everyone's abilities are obvious. Anyways, it would seem we're done with the questions."

He puts the folder aside, and relaxes his shoulders a bit. "There is supposed to be a large number of questions that City Hall wants me to ask you. I haven't forgotten about them, I just don't care. We'll look them over later. What's important," he pauses, "is that you seem like a good kid, and the city does not want to have more people living on the street than it already has. Especially not wanderers- people like you, who would normally have no legal documentation nor any means to do basic things such as get a job, or find housing."

"So what is the city doing?" I ask.

"When Wanderers first started appearing about three months ago, there was a panic. Mammals were scared, and so where the vast majority of the newcomers. The City Hall couldn't keep up with it. Eventually, a group of wanderers came to us- it was a strange day After some deliberations between myself, the Wanderers, and City Hall, we were able to create an agreement: Wanderers can come to ZPD for a place to live, and in return must abide by our laws and some regulations," Bogo says.

Regulations? "What do you mean, by regulations?"

"Wanderers living in the Facility at the First Precinct must do so under police supervision. Not intrusive, just safety. For example, you can visit the city, but you have a curfew of 10:00PM unless you have permission to stay out longer. As a newcomer, Cody, for the first two weeks you would be assigned an officer as an escort, just to help you transition." Bogo explains. He looks at me inquisitively.

I am quite aware of how screwed I would be if I declined. A 17 year old introvert, who's never had the courage to try for a job in his life? I would be as good as dead if I had to live on the streets. I couldn't do it.

"Well… I don't have any choice, do I?" I mumble, "I'll accept your offer."

The massive introvert in me creates butterflies in my stomach, and I shift, a little bit uncomfortable. This is an odd situation- one of my favorite characters is essentially inviting me, basically to live at his workplace.

 _It's not as if I'll be living in the department itself_ , I remind myself. _He said that there's a facility at the First Precinct- they probably added something on. Especially if there are enough wanderers to warrant any sort of facility being built._

"So, when is the Hospital releasing me?" I say, trying to sound casual. I'm nervous.

"The doctors want to run a few more tests before they release you. Your physiology is different than most mammals they treat frequently, so they don't want to take chances," the police chief states. "In any case, I'll send some officers to pick you up after they've finished. Now that you've agreed to the facility, I have some paperwork to take care of."

As he gets up to leave, the hospital bill bursts into my mind.

"Um, sir?" I ask, "I don't have any money, so what's going to happen about the hospital?"

"It will be taken care of." He assures me as he leaves. Now I'm alone.


	4. The Shard of Thine Soul

It's about one in the afternoon, and I've just come from a series of tests meant to check for anything that could cause problems after I leave the hospital. A few of the tests are probably going to take a few hours to come back, so I'm just supposed to wait until the doctors arrive to give me the news.

On the way back to my room, I asked one of the nurses if they had any books that could make the time past quicker, and now I'm shifting through a cart of fantasy novels that they brought up into my room. I'll admit it in a heartbeat that I'm a fantasy nut, so I look through to see if anything's familiar. Nothing much looks like it'll be great, but I didn't really expect to find much. I wonder where the library is in this city, because once I'm moved into the Facility I would really enjoy making a visit.

Since there's nothing that really screams "READ ME!" I just pick up a random novel and start reading. The writing's not too bad, actually. It's not entirely to my taste, but it's enough to keep me interested for a decent amount of time. I read books like a fire burns through wood soaked with gasoline, so pretty soon I'm looking for the second in the series. Since it's not on the cart, I decide to just turn on the news and see what's going on. It would be better, after all, to be kept up with the current information in the city.

"Another strange accident has occurred today, just after the former director of the Department of Mammal Transportation stepped down due to numerous operating incidents in the city's subway system. So far, no one has been critically injured, due to the actions of a few Wanderers who where on board the trains at the time, but authorities are warning against the use of the subway system until the cause of the incidents has been discovered. In the meantime, substitute methods suggested are walking, carpooling, and utilizing the city's bus system," the leopard female reporter states.

The other, moose reporter continues, "In related news, the conductor involved in the incident claims to have no memories of the events leading up to the accident, telling police that he blacked out around one minute before the incident took place. This is similar to the other recent subway accidents that have been occurring of late."

The news shifts to a different section, and I turn off the TV. Strange accidents, huh? Weird.

It's not long until the nurse enters the room, bringing news of the test results as well as a wheelchair. "Well, you seem to be in good health. We've already called the ZPD, and they're sending a pair of officers to pick you up right now. Now remember, stay off that leg until the cast is off. Are you ready to go?"

I nod, and she helps me into the wheelchair. It takes about 10 minutes for us to travel through the hospital, and out into the cold air of Tundra Town, where a familiar pair of officers are standing by a modified sedan with ZPD printed on its side. It's not a squad car, so that's a good sign.

I am relieved that it's these two, rather than other officers. Despite their status as main protagonists in the movie, the personalities they displayed make me much less nervous than the personalities displayed by the other cops. Regardless, I'm still shy.

"H-hi." I say as the nurse wheels me up to the car. My cheeks are red, partly from my introvert instinct and partly from the cold.

"Hello. So you're Cody? It's nice to meet you. I'm Officer Judy Hopps, and this is my partner." Judy greets me, extending a paw. I shake her hand gently, a shy smile on my face.

Nick shakes my hand as well, "I'm Nicholas Wilde. Are you ready to go?"

I nod, and they get into the car as the nurse helps me in, placing a collapsible wheelchair and passing a pair of crutches into the seat next to me.. The pair get into their seats, Judy taking the wheel just like in the movie. The sedan is pretty normal on the inside, aside from the police radio mounted on the dash. It's clearly designed for non-police work, and the seat I'm in is comfortable enough.

"The chief told me you were in a bad accident before you came here," Nick says as we pull out of the Hospital. "How're you feeling?"

"Pretty okay. My leg's sore, but it seems to be doing better than yesterday," I say. I'm still hurting about what happened, but I don't show it, at least not verbally.

"I'm sorry about what you went through. Just know that the ZPD is here to help you," Judy says, picking up on my restrained tone.

I don't say anything, but thank her in my head.

"Anyways, big guy, we should probably give you a small tour on the way back to the precinct." Nick says, changing the subject, as well as making me blush. I'm not fat, but I have been told that I look like I could be a football player, which I don't. "Right now, we're in Tundra Town. There's a lot to do here if you're looking for something snow related, and it's cold all year long. One of the most popular restaurants around here is Clark Halibuts. They have a buffet every Thursday…"

Nick and Judy take turns talking about the city, until we pass through the tunnel onto the Bridge into Savanna Central. I can see downtown ahead, and it's breathtaking, the movie didn't do it justice. But as I look at the city, there's a massive noise from behind us.

Nick looks in the mirror, and his ears fall behind his head. "Judy, stop the car."

"I see it!" Judy says, looking back towards what just happened. She pulls over.

I twist my head, and a lump forms in my stomach, as I realize what I'm seeing. A schoolbus has just crashed into the side of the bridge, and is now teetering dangerously towards the water below. Already, larger mammals are getting out of their cars. Two rhinos have their hooves holding the bus, but it's obvious that the bus is going to fall sooner than later. I can see another mammal helping the children on the bus out, but the rhinos holding the bus are straining just to keep it from falling. With every child that jumps out, they are finding it more and more difficult to hold on, as the bus begins slipping.

As Judy is talking into her police radio, explaining the situation, the lump in my stomach becomes heavier. "It's not gonna make it." I interject.

I undo my seatbelt and open the door, grabbing the crutches and opening the car door. "What do you think you're doing- there's nothing you can do!" Nick calls to me.

"Hurry up and get back- it's gonna fall!" I shout. But I'm too late.

The bus creaks, and then slips out of their hands as one of the kids is about to jump out. I hear a scream- and suddenly my crutches are on the ground, and I'm on my knees. My hand is extended towards the bus, and I can feel a tug in my gut, as well as a sense of… something, all around. There's a bright white light shining all around me.

I look up towards the bus, which is dipped directly towards the water far below. But I can feel them… the kids in the bus. They're suspended in the air, and none of them are injured. I can't explain how, but I know. The busdriver is suspended too, but he's unconscious.

What… is this?

"Everyone, get back!" I shout, louder this time. The tugging sensation gets stronger as I gently put the kids back in their seats. "I'm going to bring it up back onto the bridge…"

I think…

I imagine the bus moving slowly up, angling itself so that it smoothly places itself onto the damaged bridge. To my surprise, and apparently to the other people as well, the bus moves in exactly the way I imagined. Instinctively, I imagine releasing it, and the bus gently lowers itself onto the pavement.

As I release, I can feel the tugging sensation disappear, and my leg, which was screaming during the whole affair, suddenly dulls. But now my vision is going dark, and it feels like I just stood up too fast.

"That was awesome, big guy. You Ok?" I hear Nick asking me. I nod, and as I do, I can hear another voice.

 _"I art thou, and thou art I._

 _You, who wishes for the power to move the world._

 _I, the Shard of Movement_ , _shall grant to you the power that rests within thine soul._

 _When you have need of the power that slumbers within you,_

 _Call my name, Motus, and with my power we shall move mountains."_

With that, I feel myself slump against the pavement, and I go unconscious.


	5. The Residence

I wake up on my side, my legs are elevated a bit. I can't feel any pain in my right leg, but I can feel a hand paw checking my pulse, and I make a small moaning noise as I try to make out words.

I try again, "H-how long was I out?"

I hear Nick say, "Just a few seconds. Are you able to stand? Your leg healed."

"Yeah… just give me a few seconds." I tell him. I move to sit up slowly. "What… what was that just now? I assume it's why my leg isn't broken."

"That power? We call them Shards, that's what they look like, anyway. Um, Judy, you understand it better. Can you explain it to him?" Nick says.

"Not much better, but…" Judy sighs. "Well, you told the Chief that you had no powers before you came here, so that means that you must have received it when you came here. Basically, the power that you just used is something that comes from being called to Zootopia. It allows you to do things that normal people can't- in your case, it appears to be telekinesis. We don't really understand how they work, but we believe that Shards can be developed by anyone, regardless of whether they are Wanderers or not. We haven't had proof, so we can't say for sure yet. But, for one reason or the other, Wanderers like you are the ones who can generally be assumed to have them. Not all of Wanderers show the signs, but in general, you can assume that if someone isn't native to our world, they can probably use a Shard."

"Good to know…" I say. I start to stand. "I'm ready… are we going?"

"Yeah," Nick replies. "Judy?"

"Alright, let's get moving. Since you've unlocked your Shard, you should probably talk to the police chief before we give you the tour of the facility," Judy tells me.

"Ok."

We get into the car, and after Judy says something to Clawhauser through the radio, we're on our way. It's not a long drive, but it feels like ages. I'm exhausted, even though I felt perfectly fine before I used my Shard. I should keep that in mind in case I ever need to use it again; I can only assume that this new power will require a lot of stamina when I use it.

When we arrive, we pass by Clawhauser's desk on the way up to the police chief's office. Nick and Judy have a short conversation with him before he greets me.

"You must be the new arrival? Cody, right? It's nice to meet you. I'm Benjamin Clawhauser, the receptionist at the ZPD. I also take care of radio dispatch and resident policy. Any time you want to visit the city, you can just talk to me and I'll sign you out."

"Thanks. Is Chief Bogo waiting for me?" I ask. He's friendly enough that I can talk to him with minimal amounts of shyness.

"Yeah, he's in his office. Go right ahead."

Nick and Judy show me to his office, and I knock before opening the door.

"Come in," he says. He's looking over a folder, which I feel like belongs to me. He's not angry, so that's a good sign.

"So I heard you gained a Shard whilst on the bridge? That was a good thing you did there. I… have to admit, we would not have made it in time. How are you feeling?" he asks me.

"Okay," I say, "My leg's healed, but whatever I did back there made me exhausted. Judy said I should talk to you. What is it I should be mindful of, when using my Shard?"

"Yes, that. Well, even though Shards are common knowledge among the citizens, don't use your power in a way that would cause fear among the populace. If you can use it to help, do so. But be responsible. And don't take the law into your own hand," he says.

"Understood," I say. "Is there anything else I should follow?"

"No. Officers Hopps and Wilde will inform you of anything else you need to know," the police chief says.

"Alright, thank you," I say, nodding. I leave the room.

Nick and Judy are waiting in the hall just outside, and I follow them to an elevator. Weird, I didn't notice any building above the ZPD. Does that mean the Facility is underground?

"Wait until you see this," Nick says slyly. The elevator door opens, and we step in. Strange, the walls are made of glass. Why would that be?

Judy presses a button that says "R". It's lit like the other ones, but it's more glowy… and the letter itself looks etched into the button.

To my surprise, we begin ascending. For a moment, it's as if we're flying out of the top of the ZPD, until the atrium of a large building suddenly materializes around us. We step out of the elevator.

"Welcome to the Residence." Judy says.

"Wha- but how?!" I sputter.

"Some of the Wanderers used their shards to make this place Unplottable. Unless someone is shown to the elevator by an officer who is designated as a secret keeper, they can't find it, even if they're staring right at the button," Nick explains.

"Wow…" I say. There are some Wanderers hanging out here and there, and I'm surprised (and rendered slightly bashful) to recognize some of them.

A pink haired guy in baggy pants, wearing a weird vest and a scaly looking scarf, walks up to us with a bright smile on his face. "Hey, Judy, Nick! How's it going?!"

"Great, Natsu. We're just showing him around the Residence. Where's Lucy?" Judy asks Natsu.

"She went out to the city with Levy and that Rue girl," responds Natsu. "Anyways, what's your name?" he says, turning to me.

"I'm Cody." I say.

"I'm Natsu. Good to meet you." Natsu replies happily. I see someone I recognize as Grey say something, and Natsu goes over to begin arguing with him.

"So, this is the Cafeteria. Some of the Wanderers hold group activities here, such as board games or planning for group outings. They serve three meals a day here, and the volunteer chefs include some Wanderers, as well as certain mammals from the city. They switch off from week to week," Judy explains. Now, they're leading me to a large room to our left. I can see fitness equipment placed around the room.

There are a couple of familiar Wanderers working out, mostly from fighting games. I look away quickly as I see King, from Tekken, trying not to blush. It's weird to think that I could conceivably meet the main character I use in real life. I'm also still trying to get over the fact that there are people from some of my favorite series here.

"This is the fitness area," Nick says. "We have basic equipment here, but if you're looking for something more you should look around the city."

I nod. I'm not really into much in terms of exercise… although, maybe I should work on that. It might help if I ever need to use my Shard again if I'm in better shape… and, there are other reasons, but it's hard to think about them right now.

Next they lead me to a smaller room, but one that definitely grabs my interest. It's a small library, with about three bookshelves filled with books. "This is obviously our library, which was funded by a few of the mammals in the city. Some of this was brought in by wanderers, as well." Judy explains. I am almost tempted to just start reading the whole library, but I restrain myself.

"It's not large, so you should probably get a library card if you want to visit the city library." Judy says. We go back out into the Cafeteria area.

"Dinner is generally served around 6:30. Unless Carrots and I get caught up in something, we should be back here by then. Some of the officers come for dinner when off duty, and since they usually chaperone group outings, you should probably get acquainted with them. Do you want us to show you your room?" Nick asks.

"Sure, that would be great," I say. They lead me to another Elevator, and push the third floor button. I'm surprised, above the third floor button is a 1 button, which is covered by a glass box that has a lock attached to it.

"Right now, we're just using three floors, but the wizard who made the Residence Unplottable worked out a way to use his Shard to create extra floors whenever we need it. The only things the city pays for are water, gas, and electricity, but we've got quite a few mammals who are making donations to minimize costs to most of the city." Nick says as we start going up towards the third floor.

"And most of the food is grown in the garden on the roof of the ZPD. Fish and ingredients that can't be grown in the garden are usually either supplied by the chefs themselves, or donated by volunteers," Judy says as we step out of the elevator. I continue following them towards my room.

"Who takes care of the garden?" I ask, as we walk down the hall.

"A couple of the wanderers," Judy says. We arrive at my room.

"Well, here's your key." Nick tells me, handing/ pawing(?) it to me. "We'll probably drop by during dinner."

"See you later, then." I say. "Thanks for helping me out."

"Bye." Judy says.

"See ya later, big guy." Nick says.

It's still uncomfortable being called "big guy", but I let it go. I enter my new home. It's time to begin my new life.


	6. The Other Wanderers

*Note: When writing in the third-person, I will change to the past tense. It's easier for me, so the writing is higher quality than if I stuck in the present tense. Don't worry, though. When writing from the protagonist's perspective, I will keep with the present tense.

Mostly unrelated, but I'm not very familiar with honorifics, and the Protagonist is from Minnesota, so he will not be using them for Japanese characters. This is not out of disrespect, just out of realism. Finally, sorry if this chapter isn't the greatest in quality. Hopefully, I won't be uploading so late in the future. Anyways, please enjoy. Reviews are... rather pleaded for, so please, tell me what you think. Just be gentle.

* * *

Somewhere in Savanna Central, sometime after sunset...

The city was pleasantly warm in the evening, perfect for a night-time stroll. Dumbledore frequently found himself strolling the streets after dinner, reminiscing on his original life and world, as well as the fate of The Boy Who Lived. It had been over 20 years since his death and the ultimate defeat of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the man who many feared as Voldemort.

He remembered very little of the afterlife from which he had been sent into this world, but there was enough for him to be certain there _was_ one. Regardless, such things as sudden appearances in an unfamiliar world occurred no more frequently than the reawakening of the dead. And Albus Dumbledore had been able to accomplish both of these impossible feats; though, how he had done so still eluded him.

As Dumbledore rounded the corner, a sudden scream of pain rose him from his stupor. With agility beyond his years, the old wizard jogged until he found a scrawny looking wolf sprawled on the cement. Dumbledore approached the wolf, grasping at his wand, and cautiously examined the mammal.

A whitish froth foamed from the scrawny looking wolf's mouth, and he was breathing in shallow, panicked gasps. His eyes were wide with terror, and he seemed to be staring at something Dumbledore couldn't see.

"What happened? What is it that you see?" Dumbledore asked immediately.

As soon as those words came from his mouth, he felt his insides freeze. He remembered things… terrible things. The air seemed to grow colder. These sensations increased rapidly, until-

" _Expecto Patronum!"_ Dumbledore shouted, whirling around and pointing his wand directly towards where the Wolf had set his terrified gaze. A silvery bird- a phoenix- burst from the tip of his wand and dived towards an unseen entity, colliding with it in midair.

Slowly, as if a veil had been gently removed from before Albus Dumbledore's eyes, a massive, clawed figure, with a wolf skull mask over its canid face, came into view. It was pitch black, the only color being the white skull covering its face, and the red color of it's eyes. On the forehead of the mask was a roman numeral for the number 8.

The creature seemed nearly unaffected by the patronus, but Dumbledore struck again. This time, the monster, whatever it was, simply bit the patronus mid flight, causing it to burst into silver flame and disappear. Dumbledore quickly threw up a shield, and not a moment too soon, for the creature slashed at him with a mighty claw, which very nearly shattered the spell.

Knowing the time for defense was gone, Dumbledore fired several hexes in a matter of seconds, but the creature barely took heed, until a conjunctivitis curse struck in between its eyes. It roared in rage, and took another swipe at the old wizard. It was by luck alone that Dumbledore was able to dodge out of the way.

With a graceful whip of his wand, Dumbledore created a whip of flame, and struck the creature in the face. It howled, and leapt back towards the street. Dumbledore did not attack again, but with an aura of terrifying power, glared furiously into the creature's eyes.

With a snarl, the creature backed away and dissipated into black smoke, a howling sound accompanying its departure.

Dumbledore whirled back towards the now unconscious wolf. There was no obvious physical harm, but Dumbledore knew that the absence of injury meant nothing. The poor wolf was in no condition to apparate. So, with a whip of his wand, he once again summoned his Patronus.

"There has been an attack on a citizen. Come right away, and send an Ambulance," he said, as if the Phoenix patronus could understand him. With a flap of its ethereal wings, the apparition took off and flew towards the direction of the ZPD.

As it flew away, Dumbledore knelt once again and used whatever spells he could to detect what the creature had done to its victim...

Meanwhile, at the Residence…

"Ah-! W-what are you doing-" are my words as I am dragged away from the elevator by a rather excited looking Natsu.

"C'mon, dude. Everyone's outside!" he says as he drags me towards the door out to the garden.

"What are you saying, no one told me anything about-"

Despite my protests, I'm dragged through the garden until I can hear the crackling of a fire. He lets me go and sits down at one of the few open spots around the fire-ring. Beyond, I can see the end of the Residence balcony and a faint shimmer in the air. I can only assume that it's part of the protections placed over the Residence.

"Feel free to sit down. This meeting's for you, after all." Lucy says. She's smiling, and by her side is a small girl who I assume to be Rue. Levy's sitting next to her too.

I take a seat and look around, trying to see if there is anyone else I recognize. Natsu is sitting with the other two _Fairy Tail_ Characters. A white-haired young woman is sitting diagonally to me, alongside another young woman with brown hair. On the bench next to me is a slightly intimidating young woman who I'm pretty sure is Makoto Nijima, from _Persona 5._ With a bit of a jolt, I realize that King is sitting on the bench directly to the right of me. A few other wanderers are scattered around on the outer benches, but no one I can recognize immediately.

They're all looking at me intently, causing me to shift on the bench slightly. "Um… why are you all staring at me? What's this meeting for?"

King laughs unexpectedly. "It's your welcoming party, _cuate._ It's not often that we get new Wanderers, they seem to come in batches. There's not a lot of us here, so Lucy here thought you might want to get to know some of us."

I look towards Lucy. She smiles at me, "I hope it's Ok. We didn't get to talk at dinner, I was going to check with you first."

"Er… it's fine," I say.

"I was thinking we could start by introducing ourselves. My name's Lucy Heartfilia," she says, going on to talk a little bit about herself.

The rest of the Wanderers present begin introducing themselves one by one, until it's finally time for me to do the same.

"Er… I'm Cody Voller. I turned 17 a couple of months ago, and I came to in the Rainforest District just a few days ago. Um… I'm kind of a nerd, so if I make any references to something that any of you've personally experienced, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be inconsiderate or anything," I explain, deciding to be upfront about my situation. It's better that then get someone suspicious of something that's completely untrue.

"Don't worry about it. A few of us here come from worlds kind of like that," Makoto says. It's strange. Both she and Lucy sound like they're part way between their original and dubbed voices, so I can tell the difference between the two, but if I was really tired, it might be difficult.

I push that thought away, finding it strange and just wanting to be able to interact with these people without being caught up in references to their stories. I talk with the other Wanderers for a while, until it's only me, Makoto, the brown haired girl, the white haired woman, and King sitting around the fire. I'm about ready to go to bed, but I don't want to come off as rude.

"It's getting late," Makoto says. "We should get to bed. School starts tomorrow, after all. But first…"

"We should explain our jobs here at the Residence. Unfortunately, not all of the volunteers are here tonight, but we can have them introduce themselves at a later date. I'm the Youth Director here at the ZPD. Seeing as you're underage, if you need anything, you come to me. Aside from that, I help with the youngest of the Wanderers here, especially if Raine is preoccupied with her job or other responsibilities," King says, "Hopefully, it's you who's coming to me and not the other way around. Not that I think you're a bad kid, though."

I nod. Next, the white haired young woman starts. "Like King said, I work with the elementary, sometimes the middle school aged, children. I'm a para professional at the Elementary school here in Savanna Central. However, I also have another job: I'm the Shard Monitor for the Residence. It's _my_ job to make sure your abilities are documented, and if you experience any changes in your powers, you should come to me right away. In fact, after school tomorrow, I would appreciate it if you would come find me. I know the ZPD already knows about your abilities, I would just like to take a few notes on the details. Belle, it's your turn."

"I'm the librarian here. Kind of a unexciting job, I know, but books are my passion. I don't have a Shard, but I suppose it makes it easier for the citizens here to deal with. I work part-time at the ZPD," Belle explains. I get it now. She's from _Beauty and the Beast._ I'm pretty sure she's the Disney version…

Finally, Makoto explains her job. "I'm the head of the Residence's Student Body. I'm supposed to keep the other Wanderers our age out of trouble. Tomorrow, we'll all be walking to school together with the others as a group, so don't worry about having an officer accompany you."

With that, she looks at the other Wanderers sitting around the fire. "Now it really is late. Come on, let's put out the fire and go to bed."

We fill a bucket with water from a hose in the garden and pour it over the fire. After it's out, we all head back to our rooms.

As I get ready for bed, I marvel at how unfamiliar the city outside looks to me. Then, closing the curtain, I plop down and fall into bed, falling asleep instantly…

Its almost immediately that I find myself in a dream.


	7. The Eternal Room and School's Beginning

The chair beneath me is a squashy sort of material. Dim light shines through my eyelids, and when I open them, the unfamiliar sight of a dark, yet stylishly decorated room greets me. I feel like I've seen it before… but also like I've never seen it before. With a start, I realize that two people are sitting in front of me in squashy chairs not dissimilar to my own. The one to the left is a balding man with pointy ears and a dangerous looking nose. On the right, is what appears to be a human sized female fox, but I can't be certain. When she moves, the air around her shimmers slightly.

"Welcome to this Eternal Room. I am Igor. It is a delight to make your acquaintance," the balding man says.

"And I am Sophia. Together, we are the proprietors of this ancient room, which exits between all realities, all minds… and all dreams," the fox-girl says.

I am taken aback. This is the type of thing you would expect to experience in a _Persona_ game… not in the middle of a mysterious and unexplained travel to Zootopia.

"I understand that you may be confused. Worry not, all will be explained in due time. However, now is the time for preparation for the danger that lies ahead," Igor says calmly. I recognize him completely now, right down to the voice.

"Danger?" I ask, rather stupidly.

"Yes," says Sophia, giving me a headache because the two of them keep switching who is talking. "There is a great danger that threatens the world that you have come to exist in. Even now, it stalks towards you, threatening not only the new world in which you have been summoned, but many, many more."

With a nod, Igor continues her statement. "Unless you act soon, the ruin of Zootopia… no, perhaps the ruin of the multiverse itself, cannot be avoided."

What they're saying would seem crazy… but Igor's predictions are oftentimes correct, even if they are a bit vague.

"What can I do?" I ask, shifting my gaze between the two of them.

"At the moment, nothing…" Sophia says.

"However, when the time comes, you must act, for the threats you will face will not come from the unconscious alone. Your Shard, which holds command over movement, will be your most useful tool in this task," Igor states.

"That power is the manifestation of one facet of your personality. It allows you to utilize a certain form of magic, which can be commonly called Telekinesis. This is not it's only ability, however. It can detect and measure movement, as well. Be sure to use it well," Sophia explains.

"Yes, it has more power than one would expect from one in your situation. But, do not fret. Now is the time for rest, so relax… It is time for you to return to your adopted world…"

 **Tuesday Morning, Before School…**

I wipe sleep out of my eyes, yawning and feeling slightly unsettled by the dream I just experienced. It's not an ominous feeling, yet it's not a great one either. I was barely able to stifle a scream of terror when I woke up in… what did Igor call it? The "Eternal Room"?

I shake my head and get out of bed, looking at the clock that is placed on the windowsill looking out towards the city. It reads 6:29, and as it switches to 6:30 it starts beeping loudly. I turn it off and open the drawers in the dresser that is situated right next to my bed, wanting to get a good look at the clothes that were donated by citizens around Zootopia.

Most of it doesn't fit my tastes, but I'm finally able to find a simple pair of a grey t-shirt and jean shorts, which have been modified to remove the awkward tail hole. There's also a pair of underwear which look like they were made specifically for Wanderers. With a sigh, I grab all of the clothes and take a quick shower in the extremely small bathroom that came with my room. Now that I'm done, I feel like I'm somewhat presentable, so I go down to the cafeteria area.

There are cereals set out on a table and fridges plugged into the wall with gallons of milk stored inside. A few of the other Wanderers my age are sitting here and there, having breakfast and waking up. As I pour a bowl of what looks to be Cheerios, (and top it with… well, not a little bit of sugar), I look around the cafeteria to see who's all here.

The first person I see is Makoto. She has 2 backpacks sitting next to her. She seems to have already eaten, so she's reading a book, while a guy I'm pretty sure is Ryuji Sakamoto is just sitting there, looking bored out of his mind. Next is Lucy. She's sitting with Levy and an irritated looking Natsu, who I'm guessing is going to a public school for the first time in his life.

Alone is a young lady who's wearing eyeglasses. She looks like she's from the eighties, but I can't really tell.

Breakfast is pretty subdued, and at 7:20, Makoto starts to get everyone together after handing me a backpack that seems to have all of the required school supplies, along with a small printed schedule. I don't have the chance to thank her, so I'll probably

"Before we leave, I'm going to take roll call. Remember, this is the first time we Wanderers are attending this world's schools, so do _not_ make us look bad. Understood?" Makoto commands seriously.

We all nod in affirmation.

"Alright then. Barbara Holland?"

We each say here when our name is called off on the list, and then it's time to go. Since it's rather close, we end up walking to school along a route that Makoto was able to figure out as the fastest.

I know it probably looks strange to see a bunch of Wanderers, all who are human, walking together, but it still feels like we're being watched. I'm unlucky enough to be at the back of the group, so I guess I must be feeling it the worst…

Zootopia Central High School looks pretty much like what you'd expect from a big-city's high school, so it really isn't much to look at in my opinion. We split up after we get inside, looking at our schedules to figure out where exactly we're supposed to go.

My first hour class is… Algebra. Great, my worst class is first thing in the morning. Nothing for it, I guess…

Next will be Language and Composition. I'm guessing it'll be like English, so I may actually be looking forwards to that. After that is Crash-course World History, with a small note stating that it's Wanderer exclusive. Unsurprising.

Fourth hour starts with lunch, and then I have study hall, with another note stating I'll be in a Wanderer only class. Also unsurprising. After that is Chemistry, and then, Biology. Well, let's see how this goes.

My Algebra class is on the first floor. Fortunately, it seems like the Mathematics department isn't far from where I am, so I head over there right away… here goes nothing.


	8. Nonchapter Content: Concept Explanations

I recently received a review from a guest reader that made quite a few good questions, which I will be answering here. If it isn't obvious: **THIS WILL BE MAJORLY SPOILER HEAVY. Everything will be revealed through the course of the story. If you want to figure out for yourself, please, skip this interlude and wait/ click to the next chapter. Thank you.**

The first question I will address is that of the deleted chapter. I will be quite blunt here; I deleted it for two reasons. First: It did not meet my standards. Second: I did not want to involve religion heavily within the other world that would play a critical role in the plot of this fanfiction. It was too dark for the atmosphere presented in Zootopia and it felt intrusive upon the world that was already built, which I did not feel like imposing upon with overly religious undertones. I will include that world, but it will be less occulty and more Metaversy ( _Persona 5)_ and Upside Downish. ( _Stranger Things)_

If it isn't already painfully obvious, this is a crossover. In certain aspects, it shares similarities with the Persona series. It also makes use of the many characters throughout many other franchises, including (eventually),the MTG multiverse. However, ultimately, I want it to feel like it is set in Zootopia. Soon, the Zootopia native characters will become more and more involved within the overall plot of the story.

Now, for the other questions.

* * *

The Eternal Room, while similar to the Velvet Room in its ultimate function, is also quite different. Firstly, the Eternal Room has no master. It's proprietors change according to the planes, or universes, that require its use. That brings us to the second difference: The Eternal Room does not exist for one sole purpose. The goal of its use it to prevent the destruction of Planes in the Multiverse. It also seems to have a mind of its own, and will choose what entities are allowed to make use of it and when, usually selecting only the most noble of Planeswalkers or normal individuals and erasing their memory of it if they betray it's trust.

Igor and Sophie were chosen to be allowed to use it because of the status of Zootopia's current enemies as Planeswalkers, rogue Pathfinders (which I am NOT explaining here, they have something to do with another fanfiction-crossover that I am working on as a collab with my closest friends), and beings from the collective unconscious.

* * *

Shards can be thought of the ability to cast spells of certain types. However, like a Persona, a Shard is formed from a certain aspect of its user's personality. Unlike a Persona, a Shard is also created partially from a goal or need for the Shard's creation. It's actually possible for, lets say, Cody Voller, to learn spells from Dumbledore, provided he had figured out how to develop a Shard that would be specifically designed to cast spells from the _Harry Potter_ universe. I won't go into the processes behind developing a Shard, but it's possible for anyone to develop a Shard, whether on purpose or by accident. If it's by accident (which, more often than not, it is), some catalyst is required for the Shard to be activated the first time… such as, let's say, the idea that a bus full of children is falling towards a body of water.


	9. Afterschool Shard Examination

The first day of school always tends to be strange, almost surreal, especially after three months of little responsibility and low expectations. Being in a different world doesn't really serve to make anything easier, but at least we haven't actually got into any class work yet. Hopefully, by that point I will be able to function as a normal student.

It seems that I am not alone in this struggle. All of the other Wanderers who have experienced high-school seem to wear looks of relief that this strange yet utterly familiar set of hours has finally come to an end. I am sure it is not out of distaste of school itself. I am the last of the group to arrive in the yard outside the school, but it looks like the others are already gathered in a circle and ready to leave.

"School _sucks,_ man. I'm soo tired…" I can hear Ryuji say as I approach the group.

"I never knew Public School could be worse than Erza…" Natsu grumbles in assent.

"Come on, guys, it wasn't that bad," Lucy says, exasperated.

"If that's how you feel on the first day, I'm afraid the next year will be quite hard for the both of you." Makoto scolds. "Although, I will admit, they approach school quite differently in this world."

Barbara nods to me as I approach, and it would seem we're all here.

"We're all a bit tired… should we just go home, today?" Barbara asks as I get here. There's a general grunt of agreement, and we make our way towards the ZPD. There's not a lot of mammals out and about, but it still feels like I'm being watched. I am relieved when we get back to the ZPD and we sign in with Clawhauser, because the feeling finally dissipates.

"Oh," I say, remembering about Raine's request last night. "Is Raine back yet? She asked me to meet with her after school."

"Ah! No, she's not back yet, but I'll tell her you were waiting for her. You can go on ahead," he says happily.

"Alright, thank you. Have a good day," I say as I leave.

"You too!"

 **30 Minutes Later… Residence Cafeteria/ Lobby**

I've spent my time in the cafeteria waiting while reading a book, which isn't all that bad. It has that older style of writing that can sometimes make people wonder what the heck is going on, but overall it manages to maintain its legibility enough for me to understand what's being said… (unlike _**some**_ famous works of fiction I know, which are in multiple ways bad and depressing and shouldn't be required reading for _**anyone.)**_

 __It's as I'm ranting inside of my head on the horrors of required reading in high-school that Raine enters the Residence, shepherding the Wanderer children out of the elevator. She look's over to me and smiles.

"You can go out to the garden, I'll be right with you," she says happily.

"Alright," I nod. I head out to the garden and, in about ten minutes, I see her opening the door. She holds a bunch of baskets in both arms, each one having a different sized and shaped pillow.

"You've got telekinesis, correct? It would be pretty dangerous to have a bunch of hard objects flying around, but pillows should be safe." She says as she sets them down by the fire pit. She puts each of the pillows in a random location.

"The first thing I want to test is control. When your Shard was first activated, you reportedly controlled multiple objects at the same time. It would be best to know if this is still true, a day after your powers were initially awoken. Are you ready?" She asks me.

"Yeah, I think I am," I say.

And with that, she's giving me orders on which pillows to put in which basket. Pretty soon we're moving on to seeing if I can move objects without any visual contact, and finally moving objects in complex shapes and patterns. It's honestly pretty difficult, but I'm able to, for the most part, control objects to a pretty healthy extent. It's not without its costs, though… When I release the power, I feel quite tired. Sweat lines my face and I have to catch my breath. I'm suddenly sore all over, which definitely wasn't quite the case when I moved the bus… maybe I was only able to do that because that was the first time I had ever used my Shard.

"Alright, I think we're done. You should probably get some rest… it looks like your Shard takes a lot out of you," she observes simply.

I nod in assent, and go inside as she gathers the things. The cafeteria looks pretty empty, aside from a group of adults standing next to a table a few tables away from the elevator. I don't really pay attention too much- too tired, but as I walk by them to go to back to my room, I overhear something that gives me chills…

"-you're sure that the creature wasn't a Dementor?" Sirius asks Dumbledore.

"Completely, Sirius. The Patronus was ineffective against it. Whatever it was, it must have been resistant to magic. Only the Conjunctivitis Curse and fire seemed to cause it any harm. Furthermore, it seemed partial towards resorting to physical strikes rather than emotional attack..." Dumbledore replies.

I don't want to get into any trouble for eavesdropping, so I hastily press the button by the elevator door and hope it opens quickly. Their conversation gets much quieter, and I can feel eyes staring at my back, so I step into the elevator briskly as the doors open.

When I get to my room, I sigh. Part of me wants to go to bed, but dinner's at six, so…

 _Whatever, I'll set a timer._ I tell myself. I'm so sore, I hope I don't sleep right through it, but I might as well get some rest while I can. I don't want to regret agreeing with Raine's request when I go to school tomorrow...


	10. An Attack at the School

Two days have passed since I overheard the conversation the other day. I find myself getting used to school, which I guess is a good thing, for what it's worth. It's strange not having a family- almost empty, sort of, but I'm managing relatively well. It's still depressing, but I'm able to keep those emotions in check and do what needs to be done.

What really has me nervous is what Dumbledore was talking about with Sirius and the others. If something attacked him, then who's to say the same doesn't happen to someone else? What if it isn't a Wanderer who's attacked next time? What if it's just a normal citizen, without any Shard to defend themselves? I don't want to think about what would happen, but something like that can't be an isolated incident.

I've been thinking about what I saw on the news, back in the hospital. Weird stuff has been happening frequently lately. And I'll bet my experience with anime, television, books, and video games that the events are all related in one way or another. No doubt about it.

Although, right now, I don't really have time to be thinking about anything but school. After all, the bell's just rung. I better head to Biology.

I pack up my things hastily, then swing my bag onto my back and leave the Chemistry classroom. Biology is still in the science area, so it's considerable close, but I'm not really one of those students who stops in the middle of the hallway to chat. At my old school, back home, there were groups of student who did that constantly. It was utterly irritating, especially considering the fact that my school had been quite over it's intended capacity.

I shrug the thoughts away as I enter into my Biology classroom. Set up pretty much the same as the Chemistry class, there are posters and diagrams on the walls about various facts about biology. In the front of the class are several mock skeletons, each one depicting a different species of mammal.

On the door is a Smokey Bear poster, but instead of a cartoon drawing of the iconic anti-forest fire character, it's an actual bear pointing at the viewer, captions saying "Only you can prevent forest fires."

It's honestly rather funny. I shake my head and go inside, finding my seat and placing my backpack to the side of my chair. After a minute, I see Ryuji and Natsu filing into the room with some of the other students. The teacher (an athletic looking jaguar wearing a fancy looking tuxedo) returns to the room as the bell rings, and class begins.

The class proceeds as normal. After about twenty minutes of describing the organelles of animal cells, the teacher wraps up his lesson and begins passing out a worksheet with a diagram of an animal cell on the front, and a bunch of questions on the back.

"You have thirty more minutes. Locate the organelles within the cell and draw a line to them, labelling each one. On the back, answer the questions and describe what each organelle does for the cell. If you have any questions, just ask m-"

 _BOOM!_

A massive sound interrupts his instructions, and people in a nearby classroom begin to scream. The teacher jumps, but before panic sets in, shouts at the class to stay in the room while he learns the situation. He locks the door behind him.

"What the hell?!" I hear the teacher shout. There's a sharp crash, and the door is shattered, Mr. Gatogrande's body thrown into the room.

"Oh my gawd!" I hear a student shout. A large black claw begins to enter the room grasping the doorway, and I feel a sudden chill. My gut starts to grow heavy, frost begins to cover the room, until the figure steps fully into the room.

The creature is tall, slim, and made of translucent shadow. Its long arms end in wicked claws, its face is covered by a wolf-skull mask. Liquid drips from its maw, freezing wherever it falls. Bloodred eyes stare maniacally out of its hollowed mask, which is stained with what is unmistakably blood.

"Get back!" someone shouts. I see Natsu launch himself from his chair, punching it in the face with a fiery fist. It stumbles back, but takes a large swipe at him, knocking him back against the far wall of the room.

"Captain Kidd!" I hear Ryuji cry. A bright flash resonates, and I see his Pirate Persona flying towards the creature, smashing into it with a fierce headbutt and disappearing as the attack sends the monster flying into the wall.

I leap away from my desk, and clear my mind. I'm terrified, but that's not important right now. With a trembling voice, I activate my Shard. The sensation of everything around me- the chairs, desks, classmates, even the creature- comes into focus. I use my powers to move the teacher into a far corner of the classroom, and then will the desks to begin creating a barrier around him, creating a single opening to allow the other students in.

The other students seem to get the picture. They promptly move into the structure of desks, and as the last one files in, I close it with one last desk. I imagine the desks to resist all movement, no matter how much force is put upon them.

Meanwhile, Natsu and Ryuji continue fighting the creature. Ryuji summons his Persona repeatedly, blasting the creature with lightning and sending Captain Kidd barreling into it. Natsu shoots fire from his fists and strikes its face, but neither of their attacks are enough- they don't have enough impact. They can't go all out in a small space like this…

"Keep it busy for about two more seconds," I say. "I have an idea."

Without waiting for their approval, I use my powers to grasp at the empty chairs strewn all around. They're awkward to move, but I point their legs to pierce into the creature's body.

"I've got it!" I say. I force the chairs to fly towards the creature one by one. With each chair, the creature yowls, louder, louder, until it collapses to the ground.

"Wow- that's freaky." Ryuji says. Smoke begins to flow off of the creature's body, until there is nothing left but a small pile of ash. I use my powers to release the tables and put them back in their proper place. As the last one falls, I release my shard and allow its effects to fade.

Immediately, I know I went to far. My head starts to spin, and I hit the floor with a sharp thud.


	11. Aftermath

_Where am I?_

As I open my eyes, that thought rings through my head, clear as day. My body is heavy, like a stone was set on my chest. I stare up at the ceiling. My vision is blurry, but gradually, everything comes back into focus. The fight comes rushing back to me, and I release a weak moan as I try to sit up.

Almost immediately, I regret it. My body is so weak, so sore, that sitting up quite nearly made me retch. My throat is dry, and the world seems to be spinning. I close my eyes and lay back down, against the soft pillow of the hospital bed. I vaguely question why I'm here- I remember using my Shard to fight that shadow-creature, but then… nothing.

I open my eyes again, looking towards the TV screen. It's not on. I turn my head towards the curtains. They're closed, but beyond them, I can see that the sky is dark, and city lights from the distance are supplying a slightly warm glow from behind. I stare towards the hall which leads to the door to my room. My room is dimly lit, but the light from outside creates a thin ray which passes into my room.

There's not really much I can do right now, and my throat is so dry, I don't want to bother talking, so I just lay back down, close my eyes, and try, unsuccessfully, to go to sleep. It's not long until a nurse comes to check me, and when she leaves she turns off the light.

I may be in better shape than I was a few days ago when I was here, but I feel worse. Back then, I was just beat up. Now I feel sick. And dizzy. And, call me weird, but I'd rather be physically hurt than this sick.

After what I'm sure is about two hours, I feel my body grow heavy, and I fall back asleep.

 **Chief Bogo's Office**

"Chief Bogo, I understand why you are hesitant to assign more officers to the school grounds. I am not asking you to spread your force anymore than it has been with the recent events. I am simply wondering if it might be well advised to, perhaps, have myself and some of my fellow Wanderers station themselves within the school to make sure such an attack does not happen again," explained Dumbledore.

The police chief sighed. The old Wanderer spoke the truth-investigating the strange incidents around the city spread his police force too far. Yet Chief Bogo felt hesitant to agree to Dumbledore's suggestion. If he did, then that might be seen by the citizens as a exclamation that the ZPD was not strong enough to protect the city. Such a belief would spread unrest within Zootopia. Crime rates were already in danger of increasing- with this, they could skyrocket.

But, this was no longer a question of the citizens' confidence. This was a question of public safety. Without Shards, without powers, even the best of his officers would be defenseless against whatever type of creature attacked the school. That was simple fact: Wanderers could defend themselves.

The police chief was a rational mammal. He wasn't foolish enough to believe normal mammals could do the same.

"...Fine. Who are you suggesting?"

The old wizard flicked his wand, conjuring up six folders, each one with a different name on it. "I believe that these individuals would be best suited for this task. Their Shards can be used indoors with little fear of damage, but are strong enough to fight against whatever creatures that may appear, if the one from today is of any indication."

The police chief looked over the files, furrowing his brow and placing his glasses on his face. A sense of relief flooded through him. Three of them came from Dumbledore's world- and therefore used the same Shard. The other three possessed physical based Shards, none of which were destructive enough to cause danger to students or faculty. As long as they were sensible, Bogo believed that this could actually work.

"I will talk to city hall," the police chief said, "about officially recognizing yourself and these individuals as part of the ZPD. In the meantime, you and the mentioned Wanderers will be receiving police academy training. The city needs to have confidence in the knowledge that the mammals in charge of their protection are truly in control of the police force they command."

"We have an understanding, then. Thank you, Chief Bogo." The old wizard bowed his head, turning to leave the chief's office.

 **Zootopia Penitentiary**

Dawn Bellwether sat in her cell, her face hidden by the darkness. The last months had only served to embitter her further, her hatred intensifying. It hadn't taken long after her incarceration that she discovered her powers- and met with the Tall Figure.

She waited for him now. After all, his plan was a good one: Use her powers to take revenge upon the city. And she didn't even have to leave her cell to do it.

As she thought of her plans, a tall creature stepped out from the shadows, as silent as death. His feet made no noise, he didn't even seem to breathe. Instead of speaking, his voice spoke in the mind of his collaborator.

 _Good evening, Dawn Bellwether. I trust this prison suits you well?_

The former assistant mayor of Zootopia looked towards her cell door. The creature shrugged. The noise from outside went silent, as if the world had simply stopped.

"I am ready to begin this plan of yours. What is it I have to do?"

 _You have already done it before. That bear- you sent her into a coma, did you not? Do the same as you did then. However, this time, assimilate with your Shadow on the other side. This is a powerful ritual, one that must be done with every aspect of your being. Now, close your eyes, and activate your Shard._

The former assistant mayor nodded, closing her eyes and activating her power.

" _Somnum Exterreri_."

The world seemed to disappear, everything around her body except for the Tall Figure fading into dust. Then, it remade itself, and her body suddenly became lighter. She felt strong- stronger than ever before. Opening her eyes, she found herself in the same prison. However, the moonlight outside shone bright red. The tall figure seemed to be surrounded with faint red flames.

 _Well done, Bellwether. Now, take my hand, and we shall begin our work._

Distastefully, the former assistant mayor took the hand of the creature, and once again the world disappeared. When it reformed, the sheep recognized her former coworker's office. "Why did you-"

She gasped as she saw the mayor sitting in his desk, stressfully pouring over pages of paperwork. With a start, she realized that she saw Leodore Lionheart's Shadow. His eyes glowed yellow, and his body seemed cloaked in bluish flame.

 _The mayor feels trapped by his recent failures, as well as the state of the city. You helped bring this about, and so now you must send it into its next stage. Approach the lion, and use his feelings to bind his soul in chains. Make his palace a prison. When the real Lionheart attempts to leave, what happened to that bear will happen to him as well,_ the Tall Figure explained.

Dawn Bellwether did as he said, approaching the lion. Leodore's Shadow vaguely looked towards her, but his mind was somewhere else. Smiling wickedly, the former assistant mayor touched Lionheart's side, and felt his feelings coursing through his body. With a single laugh, she pushed against them, and the shape of City Hall changed.

The city hall became a castle, and Lionheart was chained to its throne.


	12. Dangers of a Shard

**City Hall**

"I'll have to make sure to thank them," the mayor said, his voice betraying his exhaustion, "Both the students and the ones listed here."

He spent the entire night reviewing the most recent incidents- including the attack at the school. Throughout his many years as mayor, he never found himself this busy. The past six months had been madness- but that madness taught the mayor more than any of his years combined.

"The one in the hospital- what do they think happened?" the mayor asked.

"The doctors told me that using his Shard brought the same exhaustion that he would have experienced had he done what he did without it. They were surprised he was still alive, that much stress would have killed any other mammal," Chief Bogo sighed.

"His Shard is that draining? I knew that most of the Wanderers' abilities came with costs, but…"

"It's quite worse for the ones who didn't have any in their original world," the police chief said grimly.

The mayor nodded. It mildly impressed the chief of police how thoroughly Leodore Lionheart had changed. To most of the city, he seemed the same as ever: charismatic, proud, noble, slightly arrogant. However, he no longer skipped meetings, and he no longer allowed his temper to get the better of him. He did most of his work himself- even though he now had a new assistant mayor. And he now spent many of his nights working- trying to make up for the tarnished image he had brought upon himself. Today was proof: he looked utterly exhausted.

Mayor Lionheart looked at his watch and sighed. "I have a meeting with the Department of Mammal Transportation later this afternoon. Join me for lunch?"

"I have work to do," Bogo reminded him. The lion sighed, shrugging.

"Ah, well… didn't hurt to ask," the mayor said. "I'll walk you out."

The mayor kept uncharacteristically quiet on the way to the ground floor. Chief Bogo noticed the changes the mayor had made to his own attitude- the way Leodore Lionheart held himself now was far different than before the Nighthowler Scandal. There were numerous times within the past six months that the old Lionheart would have lost his temper. But through it all, and there was a lot, Leodore Lionheart had taken it in stride. The police chief found these changes reassuring, yet slightly disturbing. It was difficult for mammals to change. Change couldn't happen on a whim.

Mayor Lionheart stopped to talk with another mammal in the lobby, and waved the police chief goodbye. The chief opened the door, and stepped out away from the shade and into the sunlight.

An ominous feeling radiated from behind him, and instinctively he turned his head back towards the door.

The Mayor stood just behind the doorway, his eyes wide with fright, as if seeing something that wasn't there. The police chief heard his strangled yelp through the glass as the mayor fell to the floor, eyes rolling into the back of his head, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. The mayor shook on the floor, and as the police chief threw open the door, he felt the ominous feeling grow tenfold.

Then, as fast as the feeling came, it disappeared, and Leodore Lionheart stopped moving. The police chief turned the mayor on his side, letting blood seep from the lion's mouth and keeping his airway open.

He grabbed his walkie-talkie, and then, in the calmest voice he could muster, radioed Clawhauser.

"Send an ambulance to city hall. The mayor has just collapsed."

 **Hospital of Zootopia…**

Earlier, the doctors explained to me that using my Shard caused me to lose as much stamina and water as if I had attempted what I had done without it. I probably would have passed out if I had attempted even half of that, but the only reason I survived was because Ryuji had enough common sense to get Makoto to use her persona's healing skills on me. What it boils down to is: That was stupid, and I should have died.

Fortunately enough, I'm still alive. And I have absolutely no intention of doing that much with my power ever again.

I still feel terrible, though. The doctors said that I need to stay in the hospital for three, maybe four days before they release me, so that's fun. I'll miss one or two days of the second week of school.

I was informed that some of the wanderers were planning on visiting me, but I didn't feel like asking who. I don't talk with other people enough to really click with anyone, but I _think_ the other high-schoolers are cool with me. I'm so shy, I don't really know.

I don't have much to do, so I decide to turn on the news. My heart jumps in my chest as I see the headline.

"This is ZNN, bringing you breaking news from City Hall. On his way out for lunch, Mayor Leodore Lionheart collapsed suddenly. We regret that we have no further information, but we will report any developments as they come," the news anchor says.

The camera is focused on an overhead view of city center. I see Chief Bogo talking with a paramedic as the mayor is loaded into the ambulance on a stretcher. The reporters continue speaking, but I don't catch anything about what they say. The whole thing seems rather scary. Frequent accidents in the subway system… followed by an attack in the streets, and then at the school… and now, this.

I doubt they're unrelated.

Unfortunately, there's not much I can do. With a shaky sigh, I click the remote, flicking through channels with nothing much in mind. It's so boring here- I'm finding myself hoping that the visitors will show up soon.

 **Author's Note:** I love the fact that there are people favoriting this, and I am honored for followers, but what helps me the most is reviews. So, if you have any comments, I would love to see them.


	13. Questions

The police chief held his head between his hooves, thoughts racing at a thousand miles per hour. He just finished talking with the doctors- and things looked grim, and very, very strange.

After numerous initial tests, the doctors found nothing immediately wrong with the mayor, aside from the fact that he was still unconscious. He was stable- for now. But that wasn't what worried Chief Bogo.

What worried him was the way it happened. The startling similarity it held to what happened with the wolf just the other day. The supernatural feeling, the sudden sense of inexplicable dread. The only thing missing was an obvious culprit- whatever attacked the wolf the other day, whatever appeared in the school just yesterday- both came accompanied with the same feelings that the police chief felt just before Mayor Lionheart collapsed.

Chief Bogo had witnessed many things during his years as police chief. He had no doubt that he would experience many more things in the year to come- but this was the first time that Arthur Hodari Bogo had ever experienced anything that could be even remotely considered "Paranormal". And it terrified him.

But that fear focused him. It directed him towards what he believed to be the truth. Both times the attacks were prevented, it was due to the actions of one or more Wanderers. That couldn't be a mistake- and the police chief highly doubted that the Wanderers would be purposefully causing these attacks themselves. As far as he could tell, and the police chief believed himself to be a good judge of character, the Wanderers were just normal people living in abnormal circumstances.

The other possibility that the police chief could think of was that the introduction of Wanderers into Zootopia was not a coincidence. Something- or someone- was bringing them here.

But why?

The police chief shook his head.

 _The reason behind the appearance of Wanderers in our world is not important right now. The only thing that matters is that they- or, more accurately, their Shards- can fight off whatever these creatures are. We need to implement them into our police force, and fast. Unfortunately, City Hall may not agree. I don't care. Keeping this city safe is more important right now._

The doctors made it very clear that they would send the police chief information about the mayor's condition as it came. The police chief had done all he could do, and, shaking off his remaining sense of dread, he stood up. There were still cases lying on his desk at the ZPD, and as long as he held that office, he intended to do everything in his power to solve them.

Braving Tundratown's frigid air, Chief Bogo returned to his police cruiser, pulling out of the hospital parking garage and driving his way back to the ZPD.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, Cody's Hospital Room**

I smile shyly as the visitors file into my room, relieved to finally have someone to talk to. They're accompanied by one of the tiger officers, Officer Jackson, and by King, who I suppose is probably here to chew me out for costing the city even more in tax money. I can't say I don't deserve it- after all, what kind of idiot tries to do that much with something they barely understand?

"Hey, how are you, man? That was impressive." Ryuji says as he enters the room.

"I'm ok. Not great, but better than I did when I woke up. Er, thanks for the quick thinking, by the way." I say.

"No problem, dude. Besides, it was Makoto here who did all the work," Ryuji shrugs.

Makoto shakes her head as she files in behind him. "It was nothing. You would have died. However…" she gives me an exasperated stare. "Please don't ever do that again."

"Yes ma'am," I say.

For a moment, the room goes quiet.

"Er, please, sit down," I offer. There are just enough seats for everyone to have a place. We talk for a bit, just about random stuff. King scolds me jokingly. Officer Jackson pipes in here and there. I'm surprised that these people seem to like me enough to visit, especially considering the fact that we've barely just met. Honestly, it makes me want to blush, but that's good. I'm happy. And I'm not alone.

We keep talking for some time, until eventually the conversation drifts onto the subject of the news, bringing an unsettling atmosphere into the air.

"Have you seen the news about the mayor?" King eventually asks.

I nod. "Yeah… Is there anything they know about his condition?"

"Almost nothing," King says.

"Unfortunately, all we really know is what could be determined on the scene." Officer Jackson explains. "I'm not technically supposed to say this, but… Well, there are numerous reports of strange feelings just moments before the mayor collapsed. Very similar to what was reported before that creature appeared at your school."

"So there's a chance that it might not be unrelated," I confirm.

"It's a possibility."

I take a deep sigh, fidgeting with my fingers as I think about the situation. On the outside, I would like to say I'm taking this quite calmly. On the inside however, this whole thing terrifies me. I take another breath, and feel myself calm down.

"This is all so…" I trail off, shuddering.

"Strange," Makoto finishes, Ryuji nodding.

"Believe us, man, we get it."

We change the subject, talking until Officer Jackson looks at his watch.

"We should go. Sorry guys, but I have to go on patrol later tonight," he says. "By the way, Mr. Voller, you'll be released tomorrow afternoon."

We say our farewells, and I lay back in my bed, numerous questions flying through my head.

 _Why is this happening? Things have been happening for months in this seemingly normal world- things that normally only happen in books and videogames. Heck, even characters from books and videogames are here- but why?_

Gradually, I feel my eyes growing heavier. I wasn't tired before they left, but now I feel exhausted. I let my eyes close, and quickly drift off to sleep...


	14. Narcissus Lionheart

The office of the mayor stretches around me, orange light shining through the window behind the desk in front of me. I can see the city wonderfully from here, stretching out beyond the window like a work of art, an almost dreamlike cityscape painted on the landscape outside. Suddenly, a cold breeze chills my skin, and the scenery changes, like the shifting of a dream.

In front of me stands a large, gold decorated throne, crafted from rich mahogany and cushioned with red velvet. The mayor's office's span is much larger now- a massive throne room, made of white marble, black granite decorating the floor, and massive red city banners made of the finest silk. The orange light has a slightly reddish tint, now, and the city outside is… different, somehow. There are banners hanging from many buildings, bearing what looks to me like the image of a lion's face, staring at the people below with a smug, vaguely judgemental smile.

I feel an ominous tingle run down my spine, and a deep, agonized groan shakes me from my staring. I look up for its source- and yelp in abject horror.

Hanging in chains bound to the ceiling is a weak, badly beaten, half dead figure wearing what looks to be tattered king's robes, purple, but stained with dirt and blood. I stare up at the figure, a sort of terrifying realization slowly creeping into my bones- the figure is a lion, and I _recognize_ him.

The person hanging from the ceiling is no one other than Mayor Lionheart himself- dressed in what were once regal king's robes, and apparently beaten within an inch of his life. He opens his eyes, and my mouth gapes as I try to speak, but he shakes his head weakly, a defeated but worried look on his face. Suddenly, a harsh laugh booms through the throne room, and I practically jump out of my skin.

I look towards its source. Upon the once empty throne is a figure almost identical to the one hanging from the ceiling. However, his robes are undamaged, fashioned from pitch black and red silk. His fur is an ash gray color, and his eyes- his eyes burn and glow with an almost demonic blood red color. And he's taller- seven feet, compared to what I assume is Leodore's six feet. I feel an aura coming off him- an intense wave of charisma, with undertones of unmistakable danger that make the hair on the back of my neck raise up from my pink human skin.

"I see you've met my prisoner, little Wanderer. My other self, Leodore, ruled until just a few hours ago, no real claim to the throne. Do you like his accomadations?" the figure says tauntingly. His voice is almost like what I remember Lionheart's to be- but with a sort of ring to it, that no normal voice would ever have. Looking closer, I can tell that this being's fur shimmers in the red-tinted orange of the evening light- almost as if he's made of crystal, in some other layer of reality.

"Who- or, what- are you?" I ask, my voice trembling. His charismatic air seeps into my mind, and it terrifies me. I can feel whatever power he's radiating attempt to grasp at me- trying to make me like him, to make me agree with whatever he has to say. I try to take a step back, but I find its almost impossible to. My feet- they're barely under my own control.

He gives off a booming laugh, his voice echoing off of the marble columns of the vast throne room. "I am a Fragment, boy. A Shadow of a Shadow, the part of my Waking Self's Shadow that he attempts to repress the most. When he started to change his ways after the Nighthowler Scandal, his Shadow began to change, and I started to slowly break free. A little nudge, and…"

He spreads his arms wide, gesturing to the massive room around us.

"As for _who_ I am… well," he chuffs. "I suppose you could call me Narcissus Lionheart."

An ominous feeling creeps up my spine as I feel his aura digging further into my mind. I know a little bit of mythology- at least, I've heard of Narcissus. He's the origin of the word narcissist- someone who thinks they're better than everyone else. That knowledge brings a touch of distaste into my chest, and I feel the aura pull back slightly.

"What do you want?" I say, with as hard as a voice as I can muster.

Narcissus smiles evilly, his teeth a bright white against his ash gray fur. For a moment, the image of a blood stained maw overlaps with his teeth, before quickly returning to their pearly white, and very, very sharp form.

"Well, my Waking Self is more than a little bit of a fool. I'd love to take his place in the Waking World. I am the only one worthy of ruling over Zootopia, the only one with enough strength and enough charm to control- _ah,_ govern, this city properly. After all, my Waking Self is a coward."

I grimace internally. Hubris, as well as narcissism. Not a good combo.

"Y-you can't be serious," I say. "You want to… take his place? Is that even possible?"

He grins predatorily. Suddenly, his aura surges, and I feel his charisma overpowering me, the scent of sulfur rapidly filling the air. I want to obey him- my arms begin to raise up to my neck, wrapping around my own throat, constricting my airway. I grit my teeth, tasting blood in my mouth as one of my teeth cuts my own cheek, and suddenly the feeling abates. I hastily remove my hands from my neck, collapsing to my knees.

"H-how did you?" I choke, gasping for air.

He looks down at me smugly.

"Simple. I am the most important being in this little world of mine. I want to be the most important being in the waking, mortal world, as well. Now, I understand: You'll try to stop me. I can tell that's what you've been brought into this world for. _If_ you know what's good for you… don't. Let me overtake my physical self and enter reality, and I'll let you live in relative comfort once I've established my rule. Be a pain in my tail… and I will make your life hell. Now, dream along- I can tell that my enemies are pulling you into that little 'Eternal Room' of theirs. Tata!"

The scenery dissolves into smoke, and the world fades to black.


	15. Fragments

I awaken with a gasp, my throat aching miserably. I feel a bruise forming beneath my skin- the area will likely be tender for a long while. A cold sweat covers my body, my heart racing quickly as I try not to panic. I feel myself shaking- I'm almost certain that I was very close to getting killed. There's no way that was just a dream- it was vivid. Way too vivid.

I take a deep breath, taking in my surroundings. I'm in the Eternal Room- a velvet reclining chair sits beneath me. A warm, watery, golden glow disrupts the dim light of the room, accompanied by the faint smell of vanilla and cinnamon. I sit up. Sophia- the fox-woman from earlier, stands in front of me, a look of fear and concentration on her face, her hand outsretched, a warm, crystalline light emanating from within her body. She lets out a relieved sigh as she sees me stir, lowering her hand, the light fading.

Her eyes are exhausted, and Igor is nowhere to be seen. Her fur shimmers like a mirage as she sits down.

"What just happened?" I ask, my voice full of fear. "I was in a throne room, and there was this… evil looking Lionheart twin. What was that just now?"

"Lionheart's fragment snagged your mind as I tried to call you into the Eternal Room. He pulled your consciousness into his Fragment World, using his initial burst of power to keep me from calling you," Sophia explains. "He almost made you kill yourself. I imagine the nurses are quite terrified right now."

The feeling in my body worsens, tightening in my gut. "You mean that he… actually made me try to strangle myself? My actual, physical self?"

She nods. "Yes. I was able to pick up on your conversation as I tried to break his hold on you. This is bad… very, very bad."

If a mammal's fur could pale, I'm sure her's would. She takes a deep sigh, shaking her head.

"He won't be able to pull you like that again, but if Leodore Lionheart's Fragment has manifested as a Narcissus, then we don't have much time," she says.

"That… thing, called himself that, too. He said he's a 'Shadow of a Shadow'. What does that even mean?" I ask.

The fox-woman hesitates. "A fragment is what happens when someone begins to change, without any supernatural assistance. Everyone has them once in a while- no one is stagnant. Usually they resolve themselves, without becoming their own being or anything. However, sometimes Fragments break away into a sort of spirit world, becoming their own separate creature without the sapience of the person they came from. Other times, they develop into their own distinct entities."

"Then why does this one seem to want to kill his person in the… what did he call it? The Waking World, which I'm assuming means the normal one," I ask, incredulous.

"Because by doing so, he can consume the rest of the soul that he came from. This would give him massive amounts of power- likely enough energy to assimilate the physical world with his realm. He'll be able to bring Stray Fragments into the physical world, too- his own personal, obedient, merciless army. As a Narcissus, he views himself as the most important thing in the universe- in his mind, he's the only being worthy of ruling," Sophia explains.

"Stray Fragments? What do you mean?" I ask.

"The Fragments who break off into spirit worlds. They're usually harmless- only dangerous when provoked. Some of them, however… well, the attack you fended off at school is a good example," she says.

"Damn…" I say. "How do we stop this guy then? You said he pulled me into his realm- but if he can't do that any more how am I- or anyone, for that matter- supposed to be able to confront him?"

"That's where things get tricky," Sophia says. She pauses, before explaining, "These Fragment realms are… difficult to enter without help. Igor is attempting to deduce a way right now. In the meantime, though…"

"What?"

She looks at me appraisingly. "We need to teach you how to use your Shard _properly._ You'll need it to defend yourself and the people around you, and if you pass out every time you use it, then you'll end up being useless. Come on, follow me."

She stands, and I hastily follow her lead. I feel normal right now- aside from the intense aching of my throat. I wonder if it's just because I'm in the Eternal Room, or if my body has recovered from the other day. Regardless, she's right- I can't keep on fainting every time I need to use my Shard.

We pass through a hallway, dimly lit by the warm light given off by flames dances in sconces that hang from the walls. Something's weird about them- they don't give off any smoke, and I feel no warmth emanating from the dancing fire. I can't tell whether it's cool- or spooky. Closed doors line several parts of the hall, but we don't stop until about 5 minutes have passed.

Sophia pulls a ring of keys from who knows where, and opens the door in front of us. It unlatches with a soft click, and we step into a long, wide, and tall room, lit by a chandelier that hangs high above the floor, glittering silently in the vast chamber.

The place almost looks like a gymnasium- if gymnasiums were filled with every weapon imaginable, and lined with dummy analogs of numerous monsters. There are some normal things laying about, too- a basket of dodgeballs in the corner, basketballs in another nearby. Hoops hanging facing eachother across the room, seemingly made from the same material as the walls. The floor is… granite, I think? Regardless, it has markings on it, some similar to what one would see in a normal gym, others more like sigils to be used in arcane magicks.

"You have a gym in the Eternal Room?" I ask incredulously.

She nods. "Of course. You'll need to train your powers from time to time, and it could be dangerous to do it in the physical world. Especially if you end up attaining new Shards."

"That's possible?" I inquire.

"Indeed. A person's needs are varied and extensive, and so is the possibility for new Shards," she states. "But that's not why we're here. Your Shard, _Motus,_ is extremely useful, but only if you use it correctly. Tell me, how have you been making objects move?"

I think for a moment. "Well… I can feel them around me, and when I want to move them I guess I've just been willing them to move. Why? Is that not correct?"

She sighs. "Well- it works, obviously. But no. Shards access forms of magic, and while they can certainly be simply willed to do their work, I think its obvious that doing so takes up way too much energy. At least, with yours it does. I've observed that you enjoy reading fantasy novels? How, in your mind, do you think magic works?"

I think for a moment. "Usually, you have to say something. Not always, but most of the time you do."

She nods. "Simply calling out the name of your Shard isn't enough. I think… if you want to reduce the toll on your body, you need to more precisely spell out what you want to have happen. Hmm… Let's try something. Give me a moment, then when I tell you, activate your Shard."

She closes her eyes for a moment, spreading her palm to face the room around us. I hear her whisper a word, before waving her hand slowly over the entirety of the gym. Light shimmers around her, as if from a crystal within her body, and slowly the weapons and dummies disappear, until the basket of dodgeballs and basketballs are all that's left.

She turns back towards me. "Now."

I nod, activating my Shard, and feel everything around me, just like before. The dodgeballs, basketballs, myself, Sophia- anything that can be moved.

"What now?" I ask, keeping my Shard activated as I do so.

She observes me for a moment, before speaking. "If you had to visualize it, what would you say your ability to sense objects is like?"

Focusing on the sensation, I say, "Sort of like… they're all a part of me? Like extra limbs. I can detect their shape, their location, even their weight, I guess. What should I do?"

"Hmm… Try this: Focus on one thing. Block out everything else. Tell me when you've finished," she suggests.

I look around the room, choosing to focus on the basket of dodgeballs that sit in the far corner. I feel it with my mind, and imagine all of the other sensations fading. I feel a resistance, before-

 _Snap!_

A loud crack bursts its way through my mind, and I feel all of my other sensations shatter away, except for my body, and the basket. My body glows, shimmering with crystalline light as the basket of dodgeballs does the same.

"I- I did it." I say, rather shocked. My power hasn't ever caused anything to glow before. The first thing I notice is that my… sensation of the basket is much, much more vivid than before.

"I see that. Now… don't will it or imagine it to do anything. Instead, tell it to come over here," she says.

"I don't have to say any special words?" I ask, double checking.

"No. English should work well enough."

I stare at the basket, clearing my mind of any sort of visualization or unwanted force. I feel a peace run its way through me, and as it trickles down my spine, I speak.

"Roll over here and stop in front of me."

As I speak, the connection between me and the cart surges. The cart quickly begins to move, as if possessed by its own will, and I feel a small amount of energy drain from me. It's miniscule- even less than what it would take to push the cart myself. As it stops, I feel the surge dissipate, and the sensation of everything else around me returns. The cart ceases glowing.

"That worked. How do you feel?" Sophia asks.

"Alright," I say. "It used less energy than usual, I think. But I can't be sure."

"I would hope so. We can try again next time we meet. You're about to wake up- in the mean time, practice with your Shard. But be cautious," she warns. "I will contact you again soon."

With that, I jolt awake, my throat aching, arms strapped to my bed, likely to keep me from choking myself again. I'm in a different hospital room, now, likely to keep me under observation.

"Nurse!" I call out. My soat is even worse than it was in the Eternal Room. "Nurse!"


End file.
